When Somebody Loved Me
by Antonia-x
Summary: Slight Sam/Dylan. An argument and an old friend are just part of the problem as Sam tries establish just what she means to her husband.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1 of 3. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. The BBC does and it makes me very sad because they won't do things my way.**

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><p>She slammed the file down on the desk in front her, a little harder than she had originally intended on, her mind still spinning from the argument with Dylan. With her and Dylan, occasionally tempers eventually flaring up and caused an almighty differing of opinions, much like today she realised. She was saddened to find herself blinking back furious tears, because never before had an argument - well a work related argument - with Dylan reduced her to tears.<p>

Noticing Noel looking at her curiously, she pushed the file towards him, and made to hurry away; trying to establish the safest place for refuge until she had composed herself. However, as she turned, the receptionist grab her wrist, halting her in her tracks: "Actually, Sam, there's a woman…" He paused briefly to point out who he was talking about. She noted the dark hair, falling across her oval shaped face and tanned, not naturally, skin and the loud vibrant colours of the clothes - recognising immediately who had decided to walk straight back into her life at the worst possible moment.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and was successful in forcing out words "Tell her I'll be ten or so minutes." Noel took this opportunity to let go of her arm, and watch her rush off in the direction of the ladies toilets.

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><p>The tears were threatening to fall from behind her closed eyes, as she rested against the sink, desperately trying not to cry, when she heard the door creek open and she was forced to open her eyes when the newcomer spoke to her: "Having a bad day?" She took in the sympathetic, kind look of Tess' face for mere seconds before she dissolved into tears and covered her face with her hands. Almost instantly, she found herself wrapped in the nurse's arms, Tess' hands moving in soothing circles across her back; as she gulped desperately for air trying to stop the salty tears which were steadily pouring down her cheeks and disappearing into Tess' blue tunic as they ran off her cheeks.<p>

She pulled away, after a few minutes, wiping her face roughly, and looked up at Tess apologetically. The nurse simply shook her head, and reached out to take her hand - which was something that she might never have accepted before this very moment, taking comfort from the fact that someone had cared. "Charlie was worried about you. He thought Dylan was a bit harsh." It took all the strength she had left in her to, in that second, not burst into tears again, at the elder woman's words. She closed her eyes briefly, which the nurse had obviously taken as a sign that she wasn't quite as composed as she'd like to be, because she tightened her grip on her hand slightly.

"It's silly…" She began quietly, not sure why she found herself trying to explain why a work related argument with her estranged husband had caused her to flee to the toilets in a desperate attempt to not show him that he had upset her. "…I don't even know why it upset me so much. It was like, I was back there, and it was like every time I got something wrong and he shouted and lectured until I knew what was what." She stopped suddenly, unsure where the words had come from, she doubted she had ever been so honest with someone when she had been upset before. Tess' face was unreadable and she was completely unsure of what the older woman was thinking as she stood there, still holding her hand. "Sorry." She blinked as she whispered the word, and nodded softly when Tess waved her hand dismissing the apology, but the unreadable expression remained.

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><p>It took her well over the ten minutes she had told Noel to compose herself and think about trying to face the person who defined the term 'happy-go-lucky', during some of her more difficult weeks with Dylan as her mentor, Kate had been her support system; dragging her up from the ball of self-pity and despair when she and Dylan had come to blows - long before she become Mrs Keogh. The whole idea of Kate being here today of all days, simply perplexed her.<p>

"Kate." She paused, waiting on the brunette to looking up from the magazine she was leafing through.

The brunette stood before she spoke, though, as if debating whether or not it was safe to pull the blonde into the hug which she was now wrapped in: "Sam." She released her and held her at arms length, as though examining her. "You've been crying." She whispered the statement, daring Sam to lie; Sam, who couldn't bring herself to admit it, so simply didn't answer, instead she glanced around the reception area, trying to track down Dylan. "Let's go out? Tonight?" The blonde doctor looked around from where she had found her husband buying lunch from the shop, to look at the seriousness in her fun-loving friend's face. In truth, she'd never been one for wild nights out - she'd agreed to a few but when she was much younger. She glanced to where Dylan was standing, while contemplating the decision, before looking back to Kate and nodding her head slightly. A motion which not only seemed to a elicit squeal of glee from the brunette stood in front of her but also prompted her to immediately regret her decision.

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><p>Even pulling the dress out of wardrobe felt wrong; he had hated it, always hated it and it wasn't her favourite thing to wear either but it seemed appropriate for where she was going and who she was going with. She seemed to remember that it was Kate who had talked her into the dress, some years previous.<p>

After much debate, she let her hair fall around her shoulders, she looked at her reflection in the mirror barely recognising herself as she self-consciously began to tug at the hem of her dress trying to pull it further down her legs. She sighed as the black material simply resumed it's original position above her knee, and focussed on finding something to wear over the top of the dress, or alternatively something else to wear.

She had just found a thin black jacket when she heard someone at the door, grabbing her shoes from the bottom of the wardrobe, she made her way to the door expecting it to be Kate. She pulled her long hair over one shoulder and attempted to make herself feel more awake, as she pulled the door open, letting the brunette dress in pink dress that Sam was sure was so bright she wouldn't be able to remain looking at her when speaking. "Wine?" She blinked as the brunette's voice pulled her from her thoughts, and immediately noticed her waving the bottle in her hand around.

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><p><strong>Same time, same place tomorrow. <strong>

**Anny x**


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 2 of 3. **

**Thank you to Meggi, Callie, Ficmouse, Elly and Tilda for reviewing and to anyone else reading, I hope you are enjoying. **

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><p>She watched as her friend bustled down her hallway, sticking her head around various doors until she had found the living room. She shook her head, in bemusement, as she moved to the farthest away door to retrieve two wine glasses from the kitchen.<p>

She joined Kate on the sofa, handing her the glasses before picking up her make-up bag and preparing to finalise her make-up before she headed out. "Right." She turned quickly from her compact mirror in which she was examining her eye make-up, to her friend who she could only assume was going to ask some particularly personal question in her usual blunt way. "I saw Dylan at the hospital." The blonde nodded; realising where the conversation was headed and she wasn't entirely sure whether her emotions could deal with it - particularly tonight. "So, where's the ring, the dog, the husband?" She considered Kate's question while combing her fingers through her long hair; wondering how to approach an answer.

"We can't do this, Kate. If we do this now, I'm going to cry and we'll not get anywhere and I'm all dressed up now." She forced her lips in to a tight, thin line as she stopped speaking hoping that, it could in fact be an end to the matter.

"I can't believe you even married him…" The brunette swung her glass around as she turned quickly on the couch to face the blonde, but trailed off when the blonde raised her eyebrows. "Okay. That's an end to it." The brunette reached across the table, filling up both wine glasses again, as the blonde continued to move around her living room trying to finish getting ready while attempting to calm herself down, now she had suddenly been reminded of Dylan.

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><p>The cold air caught her legs the moment they stepped out of the taxi, she shook her head as she watch Kate take the cold February air completely in her stride. She pulled her jacket tight around her chest as she inwardly wished that she had decided to wear her coat instead of the thin material she had wrapped around her thin frame.<p>

Kate tugged her jacket from around her shoulders when they stepped instead; instinctively she moved her hands to hold on to jacket, determined to keep it on and keep her arms covered for the night. As it turns out, nothing ever changed and she simply wasn't quick enough to keep her jacket.

She wasn't even sure how Kate had got to the bar, but the next thing she knew was a flurry of bright pink was thrusting a drink into her hand, before attempting to trail her off towards the dance floor - and she certainly wasn't drunk enough for that, yet.

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><p>Her head was spinning as she stumbled into the toilets, grateful that they were empty at the moment, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She combed her fingers through her hair, having forgotten how unruly the heat could make it. She rubbed her index finger under her eyes trying to make her make-up look more presentable; she sighed and decided it wasn't worth the effort as she yawned, realising just how much she wanted to be at home in bed.<p>

She decided she needed a break from her reflection, and decided to lock herself in a cubicle for a couple of minutes, just to compose herself as her argument with Dylan fought itself to the forefront of her mind. It was as she leant against the partition between cubicles, taking deep breaths she realised that she had no idea when or where she had last seen Kate.

She hurried back into the darkened room in search of her loud friend, determined to tell her she was going home and going to curl up in bed and cry about the way Dylan had spoken to her earlier. She managed to manoeuvre herself round a few people trying to get her dance. Though when she reached the bar, hunting for the pink dress she was certain she would not be able to miss; when she was unable to find her, however, she deemed it an unsuccessful task and rummaged around in her bag until she had found the ticket for the coatroom, and headed in that direction.

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><p>She tried unsuccessfully to get a taxi, and recalled that this was why she hated nights out, sighing deeply - she thought back to the times when she left a nightclub early, leaving Kate amongst others dancing the remainder of the night away, she would phone Dylan and he'd be there in ten minutes Dervla by his side, as she got into the car and pulled the blanket always kept on the back seat around her freezing legs.<p>

She let tears slide down her cheeks, as she wished she could've done that tonight, her hugged her jacket to herself as she began the walk home. After a few moments of standing at the crossing of a busy road, she ponder which route home was the quickest.

Ten minutes into her walk, she was sure that she could hear footsteps behind her, but she put that down to it being a busy night taxi-wise and not being the only person in Holby walking home. Though, those thoughts didn't stop her picking up her pace just a little and as she turned the corner she felt someone grab at the strap of her bag and she turned quickly with one hand still clamped tightly around her bag. She was pushed backwards when her attacker realised that they weren't going to get her bag, and she collided solidly with the brick wall to her left.

She blinked, as she realised that her head had hit the brick wall behind her and she quickly raised her hand to touch the back of her head, to inspect the damage. However, as she withdrew her hand, she was stunned to see that her hand was covered in blood. She slowly, let herself slide down the wall, to sit on the pavement, as the world around her began to spin, clutching the bag which had caused everything, in one hand as she did so. She was vaguely aware of someone trying to speak to her, before everything around her turned black and she felt her eyes flutter shut and was completely aware that she had made no effort to stop them.

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><p><strong>Once again, same time and place tomorrow - for the slightly longer final part. <strong>

**Anny x**


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3 of 3. **

**I'll say thanks to you all who have reviewed or read this. I hope you've enjoyed it.**

**I do hope you enjoy the final part.**

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><p>"Alright, I'm Jeff, did you phone the ambulance?" Jeff stepped towards the two figures both hunched in the street corner, it was only then he noticed that one was supporting the other against the wall, one - the male he noted - nodded his head, and moved quickly to swap positions with the paramedic. "Dixie…" He called out the moment he reached the unconscious woman's eye level, ignoring the caller for the moment, and waited until his blonde colleague had almost reached him before he continued to speak: "Sam." He paused to indicate the woman now being supported by his arms and heard Dixie's sharp intake of breath as she to realised. "Phone Zoe, let them know." The blonde nodded and pulled out her phone as she began to pace up and down the street.<p>

"Sorry, mate, what's your name?" He looked up as Dixie returned to his side and began helping him with Sam, they moved her on to a trolley cautiously, while hoping that the knock to her head had not been as serious as it could be.

"James." The passer-by fidgeted uncomfortably as he watched them work, trying to establish the connection between the three. "Do you know her?"

"Yeah, she's a doctor - works at the hospital." He nodded as the blonde woman replied to him. "Did you see what happened?" She turned her focus from the woman and back to him as she asked.

"I was at the other side of the street, but it looked like he'd went for her bag, I think he thought it would've been easier than it was, because the minute she struggled he threw her against the wall and then ran off." He stopped, looking the woman whose attention had immediately returned to the patient in her care; when she had learned what had happened to her.

As they wheeled the trolley into the ambulance, the woman paramedic jumped into the driver's seat and the male who had introduced himself as Jeff stopped to speak to him again, just as the police were approaching: "Thanks, James. Listen the police are going to want a statement, that okay?" He nodded, aware from the moment he had called the ambulance that he would have to do so. The paramedic then turned his attention to the approaching officers and spoke quickly "We're taking her to Holby City, you wouldn't get anything out of her just now anyway." The policeman nodded swiftly, as closed the door behind the paramedic, letting the ambulance drive off.

James was standing giving a statement to the police woman who had just arrived when the ambulance pulled away, blue lights flashing and sirens blaring.

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><p>Zoe was at the door with Charlie waiting on the ambulance, determined to assess the state of their colleague before she reached the department and everyone broke into various states of panic about the situation. They greeted them as they moved the trolley from the ambulance to the ground ready to take her into Resus.<p>

The brunette doctor, looked at her younger colleague; concern across her face, as she took in the blood that had matted her long hair: "How is she?"

"As far as we can tell, just the cut to the back of her head, looks like it took quite a knock though Zo…" Dixie replied quietly "She's not come round yet, but the guy who phoned the ambulance said someone was going for her bag, and there was a bit of a struggle before she was thrown back against the wall." The medic nodded her head before she followed behind the trolley.

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><p>She emerged from Resus, with the intention of phoning Dylan - so that Sam had someone with her when she woke up, when she noticed two fairly young policemen beginning to stride purposefully towards her, she held up a hand to stop them: "She's in no fit state, she's not even conscious; I'll let you know." She turned quickly to Clinical Lead who had only seconds before decided to make his presence known. "Sorry, what was it Nick?"<p>

"I've phoned Dylan myself. Is she awake yet?" She shook her head softly, and glanced back through the glass window in the Resus door to see Charlie, gently fluffing pillows that he seemed to have gifted the young doctor. "Is he on his way?" She didn't need to ask, because merely seconds later the frantic looking Consultant had appeared in front of her and although he wasn't saying a word, she could tell his mind was working in overdrive as he tried to establish which of a thousand awful scenarios could have seen harm come to Sam.

"How is she?" He spoke quietly, as though his mouth was dry - looking between both consultants while he waited on an answer.

Zoe began to speak, slightly timidly wondering how exactly he would react to her words: "She's taken a nasty bang to the head - Charlie's dealt with the cut though. She's still unconscious Dylan." She noted that he had nodded before he pushed open the doors to Resus and walked to Sam's side, an unusual look across his face. She vaguely recalled that when she started her shift the departing Tess had revealed that an argument he had, had with Sam earlier that day had reduced his, now unconscious, wife to tears and she wondered briefly if that was how Dylan looked when he felt guilty.

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><p>The moment he reached her side, he noticed the blood which had dried into her long congealing strands of her blonde together messily at the side of her head. He reached out to gently touch her face but immediately withdrew his hand, when he noted just how pale her skin was. He couldn't help but let his mind wander to why exactly she had been walking alone - he also realised that between them Nick and Zoe had still told him very little.<p>

He'd been lost in his own thoughts for a few moments, when he was sudden pulled back to reality with the small noise of Sam wincing in pain at the harsh lights, when she managed to open her eyes; she quickly closed them again, waiting a few moments before attempting to open them again, this time much more slowly. When she turned her head to see who was at her side, he noted that she had blinked at him in a confused manner as though she wasn't certain where she was or, more worryingly, who he was.

Sam turned her head violently, when she heard Zoe enter the room, and the dazed look which sudden cross her face, alerted him to the fact that she was still having difficulties, he was considering what to say to her when he heard her cough and splutter quietly, instantly Zoe was at the side of the bed with a card bowl under Sam's mouth as she was violently sick. "I think we're a bit concussed." The dark-haired doctor muttered to no one in particular as he slowly backed out of the room, under the pretence of giving Zoe space to work, but in reality he was having difficulty watching Sam seem so shaken.

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><p>"Okay, what's your name?" She fished around in her pocket for her flashlight as she spoke, desperate to get some indication that Sam's head injury hadn't been too serious.<p>

The blonde's quiet voice had murmured "Sam." Before she let her head fall back against the pillow and closed her eyes.

"Good girl." She taken Sam's hand in her own, in some attempt to get the blonde to open her eyes. "What's your full name?"

"Samantha Keogh… Nicholls." She smiled fondly at the younger woman, as she corrected herself, clearly indicating that her memory had not lapsed.

Somewhere in Sam's haze of name changes, she had managed to get herself into sitting position, "Look straight ahead." She smiled apologetically as Sam flinched away from the bright light that she was shining in her eyes, and cautiously she started again, just afraid she had missed something.

She let Sam lie back against the pillow for a few moments, sensing that the younger medic still seemed a bit stunned by the whole situation. After a few moments of filling in her chart, she noted that Charlie had returned to Sam's side, and the pair were caught in a whispered conversation, she couldn't help but smile at the ease in which Charlie could reassure a frightened patient.

"Feeling better?" Zoe's attention was captured by the startled looking younger doctor, when she approached the bed, as Charlie left. The blonde nodded weakly; and immediately reached up to touch the back of her head. "Don't touch." She chided as though talking to a child, she noted for the first time, the frightened look in Sam's eyes, as she let her hand fall back into her lap.

"Is Dylan…" The blonde's voice was a whisper when she began to ask the question, but she seemed to catch herself and stopped half way through as though she wasn't certain he'd be there still. She nodded at the distressed younger woman.

"He's just outside, I'll get him for you…" She spoke almost as quietly, and withdrew the hand she had extended when she had returned to her bedside. She noticed the look of complete exhaustion which had passed over her young colleague's face and turned on her way out to speak again: "Have a little rest while I go get him." She blonde seemed to nod before she shifted herself in what looked like an attempt to make herself more comfortable.

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><p>"I never trusted her with you, you know. I always knew you'd end up hurt because of her… " She opened her eyes as Dylan made his entrance known with a typical blunt remark. She attempted to smile at her husband, as he moved closer to her side, picking up her hand that had fallen to her side while she was drifting in and out of sleep. "…or because she'd taken you some place you weren't used to and you'd do something like this." He reached across her to touch her cheek softly, he noticing her looking up at him with sad eyes.<p>

"I know." She spoke softly and closed her eyes, allowing her mind to travel to time, which seemed so long ago now, when Dylan had looked so disappointed at her when she had arrived at work looking like she'd wandered home just hours before her shift had started, she felt his grip tighten around her hand. "When I was walking home I was thinking about I used to phone you and you and Dervla drive and get me in the middle of the night…" She trailed off nervously, unable to establish how he would react to her sudden fondness for sharing memories; he didn't respond immediately, instead he sat on the edge of the bed and moved her gently into his arms, after she'd fought herself into an upright position.

"I wish you'd phoned tonight." She tried to process the quiet words that Dylan said, as she let herself fall against his chest, feeling his fingers comb through her hair - still matted with the blood from earlier - she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax into his embrace. She let the tears trickle down her cheeks, as her mind flashed to struggling for her bag before she hit her head, Dylan's next words bring her back to reality: "I don't like your dress." He mumbled the words softly against her hair, as let his lips fall to the top of her head, she tried to laugh at his remark but she ended up crying harder against his chest aware that her tears were soaking the thin material. He moved his head, so he was whispering in her ear "Shh," he had begun in some desperate attempt to soothe her, pausing to tighten his grip around her before continuing "It's alright, you got a fright, but it's okay now..." She couldn't think of anyway to reply so she simply curled further into Dylan's chest, clinging onto his shirt, as she felt exhaustion begin to take over and as she made out his final whispered words, while his hand moved slowly up and down her back desperate to calm her: "… I'm here, you're safe now." She could only hope that he'd still be there when she woke up.

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><p><strong>Kate was used purely as a way to get Sam on a night-out.. <strong>

**though, maybe at some point, I'll answer the questions about how she ended up being Sam's friend. **

**Once again, thanks for reading. **

**Anny x**


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